Floor covering material can take a variety of different forms. Some examples of floor covering materials include rugs, mats, runners, padding, carpets, carpet protectors, linoleum, and the like. In a variety of circumstances, it is desirable to display floor covering materials. For instance, in retail settings, floor covering materials are often hung relative to one another so that consumers may conveniently view or otherwise inspect the floor covering material. The floor covering material can come in a variety of dimensions ranging from a few inches in length to several feet. For example, some rugs are over 8 foot wide and over 11 foot long. Such coverings are often stacked on top of each other, saving floor space but making viewing and comparisons among colors and patterns difficult. Sometimes, coverings are hung on walls or displays, but there is generally only limited wall and/or display space available.
In displaying floor covering material, several features are desired. These features include: ease of use, protection of the floor covering material from damage, inhibition of stretching of the floor covering material and overall decorative presentation and appearance.
Various difficulties and problems are encountered in providing a suitable means for securing and displaying floor covering material. In hanging floor covering material to a supporting surface, conventionally separate devices have been employed. One such device comprises a hook which is generally semi-permanently embedded in the floor covering material, and another example would be a supporting line or rod associated with the supporting surface in which the hooks from the floor covering material are connected to the supporting rod or line.
Those conventional arrangements are objectionable in consequence of the above-defined structure, in that the hooks are semi-permanently embedded in the floor covering material, and in that the floor covering material tends to sag where no hook is attached. This distracts from the general decorative appearance of the floor covering material being displayed.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved hanger means for displaying floor covering material which improves on several of the deficiencies of conventional floor covering material displaying techniques known to one skilled in the art.